Reviving an old engine
Discussion
I've got a Rover V8 engine in my car. When last run, it was fine.
The car has been in store for a few years and I'm now going to attempt to get it up and running again.
It's been turned over a few times and doesn't seem to have seized up.
What I want to do is clean out as much of the old oil and gunk as possible before putting in fresh oil.
I don't mind getting through a couple of gallons of cheap 20/50 in the process before putting decent stuff in.
Any recommendations for best way to flush it all through?
The car has been in store for a few years and I'm now going to attempt to get it up and running again.
It's been turned over a few times and doesn't seem to have seized up.
What I want to do is clean out as much of the old oil and gunk as possible before putting in fresh oil.
I don't mind getting through a couple of gallons of cheap 20/50 in the process before putting decent stuff in.
Any recommendations for best way to flush it all through?
I use cheap(ish) synthetic oil. Drive it slowly at first. I keep the oil in there for maybe 1000 miles, then do another oil change with the same oil. Then I monitor the colour of the oil on the dipstick. If it goes black quickly I know there is a lot of gunk internally. If there is a lot of gunk internally I might do another oil change again after another 1000 miles.
My aim is to have the oil go darker slowly/gradually. When it starts to do that I change is for expensive full synth and start stressing the engine more.
What I am aiming for is a gradual cleaning of the engine internals....I'm not an engine expert though, so take everything I write with a pinch of salt.
My aim is to have the oil go darker slowly/gradually. When it starts to do that I change is for expensive full synth and start stressing the engine more.
What I am aiming for is a gradual cleaning of the engine internals....I'm not an engine expert though, so take everything I write with a pinch of salt.
Evoluzione said:
Just change the oil and call it job done, that's all it needs - if that.
I agree.Change the oil with the cheapest 5/20 oil you can find. Don't change the filter. Run it at idle until it's up to temperature.
While the oil is still hot drain it out, change the oil filter and refill with the correct grade of a decent oil.
Job done.
Assuming it is an older RV8 then various options. Either the cheapest 20/50 you can find & run it for a few hundred miles. Then drop it & replace.
Or when I was much younger and used to run older cars my Dad ran a garage with a fleet of diesel vans, so on purchase it was a sump of Shell Rotella from the bulk tank & run it for 300 miles or so then fresh decent 20/50 with a another new filter & that cleaned all the junk out.
Or when I was much younger and used to run older cars my Dad ran a garage with a fleet of diesel vans, so on purchase it was a sump of Shell Rotella from the bulk tank & run it for 300 miles or so then fresh decent 20/50 with a another new filter & that cleaned all the junk out.
Since it's an old engine without a catalyst, I'd not use a modern oil (with API grades SJ and higher). They may claim to be the best lubricants ever, but are compromised by the requirements of modern engines, especially catalysts. The levels of ZDDP, ZDTP (zinc and phosphorous) are low and old engines rely on them. Use a cheap 'classic' oil for flushing. For long term, use a good quality classic oil, synthetic or regular, and change it frequently.
After chatting with a few ‘classic’ people I’m going to drop the sump and clean out the worst of the crud then run a gallon of this https://www.morrislubricants.co.uk/products/8a6a8e...
Through (or two if necessary.
I’d already decided to search for good performance oils with higher zinc and phosphorus content for older engines.
Through (or two if necessary.
I’d already decided to search for good performance oils with higher zinc and phosphorus content for older engines.
Ultra Sound Guy said:
After chatting with a few ‘classic’ people I’m going to drop the sump and clean out the worst of the crud then run a gallon of this https://www.morrislubricants.co.uk/products/8a6a8e...
Through (or two if necessary.
I’d already decided to search for good performance oils with higher zinc and phosphorus content for older engines.
The oil I mentioned above will do the same thing. Old diesels ran very high detergent oils because of blow by.Through (or two if necessary.
I’d already decided to search for good performance oils with higher zinc and phosphorus content for older engines.
Standard oil for cooking RV8s is Valvoline VR1. Very high performance ones it tends to be Motul 300
Assuming it's an old un-rebuilt one then they are designed around 20/50 I used to do 3000mile oil changes with VR1.
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